Anxiety is a part of everyday life. It is a normal emotional experience. Sometimes anxiety can be severe to the point of causing problems for people. Some of the symptoms of severe anxiety can include:

• Pounding heart
• Shaking or trembling
• Extreme muscle tension
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Nausea or digestive distress
• Irrational thoughts/fears
• Difficulty concentrating
• Headaches

If you are experiencing these symptoms, there are steps you can take to help yourself. You may need the help of a counselor to learn some of the skills useful for managing and eliminating anxiety disorders. You may also benefit from the use of prescribed anti-anxiety medications in conjunction with therapy. Feel free to set up an appointment here at the ERC to get assistance in achieving the goal of alleviating anxiety.

What if I just avoid the things that make me anxious?

Avoiding situations that make you anxious might help in the short term. The trouble is that anxiety usually keeps returning, and has a habit of spreading to other situations. This can lead to you avoiding things like shops, crowded places, lectures, or tutorials. So although avoidance at first allows you to feel better-

• Relief is only temporary, and you may start to worry about what will happen next time.
• Every time you avoid something, it's harder the next time you try to face it.
• Gradually you may want to avoid more and more things.

So what else can I do to feel better?

• Replace 'negative self talk' with 'coping self talk.' When you catch yourself thinking "I can't do this; it's too hard," try to change it to something more positive and realistic, like "This is hard but I can get through it." It can be helpful to think of "changing the anxiety tape" that runs through your mind. It is useful to make a list of the negative thoughts you often have and write a list of positive, healthy, believable thoughts to replace them. Replace the anxious or negative thoughts with statements that you would use with a good friend to encourage him/her through a similar situation.

• Give yourself credit for your efforts and accomplishments.

• Develop healthy relaxation skills. Most people will be able to feel relaxed by using progressive muscle relaxation. A counselor at the center can help with learning this and other relaxation skills.

• Problem solve. Identify the underlying issues contributing to the anxiety you experience; deal with the issues you CAN do something about and learn to 'let go' of the issues outside your control.

• Exercise. Aerobic exercise is a good stress reliever. It decreases muscle tension, increases energy and can improve sleep.

• Practice good nutrition and get adequate sleep. You must take care of yourself to live life fully which includes work, relaxation and pleasure. Avoid excessive alcohol, illegal substances and junk food.

• Energize yourself with pleasure and humor. Spend time with people you enjoy.

• Work to change underlying issues which contribute to or 'trigger' anxiety. A counselor can help you resolve these issues such as unresolved grief, perfectionism, or assertiveness difficulties.

If you find yourself stuck or struggling, feel free to make an appointment with a counselor at the center for help at 865-5113. Asking for help is courageous and is a good way to care for yourself.